Getty Lakers head coach Darvin Ham (left) and GM Rob Pelinka
The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly want to acquire a $251 million superstar. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report reported on November 10 that the Lakers are interested in trading for Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal. The three-time All-Star has a no-trade clause in his contract, so Los Angeles can only acquire Beal if he requests a trade from Washington and approves a trade to the Lakers.
“A star player whom the Lakers are known to covet is Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, sources say,” Haynes reported. “Going after the 10-year veteran would only be an option if Beal were to request a trade, a tactic he has been reluctant to exercise.”
Beal signed a five-year, $251 million contract with the Wizards this past summer. He’s making $43.3 million this season. The Florida product is averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists while shooting 51.7% from the field, 32.5% from beyond the arc and 91.7% from the free-throw line.
Bleacher Report: Beal Fits on the Lakers
In a November 9 article called “Guessing the Mystery NBA Star the Lakers Are Trying to Trade For,” Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale listed Beal as one of the players the Lakers may try to acquire. Favale’s guess came in the wake of Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated reporting that Los Angeles is waiting for a “specific player” to trade for.
“Bradley Beal is The One—after Jan. 15, when his trade restriction lifts. Basketball reasons abound for him landing in L.A.. He is the type of primary scorer and secondary playmaker who will have no issue playing off LeBron James and ferrying the offense without him,” Favale wrote. “And while Beal might be first-team All-Shoots-Worse-Than-You-Think-From-Deep, he has a better track record of nailing threes than most others on the Lakers roster. His 35 percent clip on catch-and-shoot triples would also rank third among all of L.A.’s rotation players. What’s more, Beal is juuust old enough, at 29, for the four years and $207.7 million left on his contract (including a $57.1 million player option in 2026-27) to dissuade suitors flush with more goodies. Even if those asset-rich admirers come calling, it doesn’t actually matter.”
Beal is a career 37.2% shooter from beyond the arc, making him a perfect fit alongside Lakers superstar LeBron James. Not only is he a talented shooter, but Beal is also one of the top scorers in the NBA. He averaged a career-high 31.3 points during the 2020-21 season and has career averages of 22.1 points.
Lakers Could Trade Russell Westbrook & Draft Picks for Beal
If Beal requests a trade from the Wizards and makes it known he wants to play for the Lakers, Los Angeles could trade Russell Westbrook and its future draft picks to Washington. The Lakers, of course, acquired Westbrook from the Wizards in the summer of 2021.
“The Washington Wizards inexplicably gave Beal a no-trade clause in his latest contract. That gives him the final say in where he goes next,” Favale wrote. “If he wants to play for the Lakers, the Wizards don’t really have a choice. They have to accept the Westbrook-plus-picks-and-swaps package. To be clear: Beal has given no indication that he wants out of Washington. The five-year contract he signed over the offseason implies just the opposite. But the Wizards are presently in the bottom 10 of both offensive and defensive efficiency and seemingly on the fast track to Nowheresville. Unless they make a blockbuster acquisition of their own, pivoting into what feels like a long-overdue rebuild should be on the table. Of course, Washington could opt for a one-year tank, hold onto Beal and reevaluate over the summer. But traveling this path demands his cooperation. And if the Wizards’ season ends up going off the rails, he might be the one to initiate divorce proceedings.”
Beal, 29, has averaged 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 15 games versus the Lakers in his career. The Lakers could compete for a championship if they had the guard next to James and Anthony Davis.